PDO, PGI AND TSG Italy

PDO, PGI AND TSG PRODUCTS, Italy first in Europe

PDO, PGI AND TSG: Italy asserts itself Europe’s Number One Country for number of recognitions awarded by the EU to quality food products. The balance sheet spread by ISTAT at the end of 2016 quantifies 278 certifications (9 more than in 2014), 113 more than in 2008. The European certification attests powerful links between food excellence and country of origin, a character spread all over the Peninsula. In Italy, the sectors with most certified agricultural products are: fruit / vegetables and cereals (106 products, +3 against previous disclosure), cheese (51: +2), extravirgin olive oil (43: no variation), meat preparation (40: +2) and bakery products (10: +2). Fresh meat and other sectors cover 5 and 33 specialities respectively. There are 80,010 certified operators. Nearly all (91.1%) only work in production, 5.7% trasformation; the remaining 3.2% do both. More than three quarters of the producers (75.9%) are active in mountain or hill areas, the remaining 24.1% working on the plane. Italy’s regions with most certified products are Emilia-Romagna (42), Veneto (36), Lombardy (32), Sicily (29), Tuscany (28), Lazio (26), Piedmont and Campania (both 22).WHAT PDO, PGI AND TSG PRODUCTS ARE

– PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) is the certification recognised for products originating in a specific geographical zone: they present features due to a particular geographical environment and are only produced and transformed in a limited territory.

– PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) is the brand recognized for products originating in a specific geographical zone: their certain qualities, reputation or other features can be attributed to a specific territory, where they are at least produced and / or transformed in a limited geographical territory.

– TSG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed) products include EU recognised and protected preparations, whose peculiarities depend on traditional product composition, a typical recipe or traditional production method. In late 2015 mozzarella and Neapolitan pizza are confirmed as the only Italian specialities recognised by the EU.